Faithfulness

April 20, 2020 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

Loyalty…dedication…devotion…commitment…dependability…truth. God is faithful in all He has promised. The struggles and the difficulties have been brought on by our chasing after sin and sinful desires. Even though we wander off…God the Father, our Creator and Jesus Christ His Son our Savior, with the Holy Spirit are faithful to loving us and saving us…if we are willing to confess our sins and trust in God. Amen.

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

1 John 1:9

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“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
    for his compassions never fail.
²³They are new every morning;
    great is your faithfulness.
²⁴I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion;
    therefore I will wait for him.”

²⁵The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him,
to the one who seeks him;
²⁶it is good to wait quietly
for the salvation of the Lord.”

Lamentations 3:22-26

(This photo was taken in June of 2018 at a lake near Plymouth, Minnesota)

Trust His Word

April 18, 2020 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

God is with you. It is said over and over again in the Bible. The message is clear, we can rely on God…this does not mean your life will be free of trouble and suffering. It tells us that when those things come, we can count on God to guide us, strengthen us and give us hope through those times. Pick up a Bible and see for yourself in Deuteronomy 31, Joshua 1, Isaiah 41 or Hebrews 13 and other places…God is with you, trust Him and His word. Amen.

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“Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,

“Never will I leave you;
never will I forsake you.”^[a]“

Hebrews 13:5

(This photo was taken in July of 2018 on the shore of Lake Superior near Ashland, Wisconsin)

Don’t Stop Praying

March 22, 2020 / mcalcagno / 2 Comments

As I awake this morning there are 2 songs that I can’t stop hearing in my mind that are constant reminders to not give up…we must learn to be patient and persistent. No matter how long you have been praying about something and you haven’t seen a change…don’t quit…keep praying…believe…many people fall away from God because He does not work on our time line. Remember He is God and He knows what is best for us even if we can’t see it. Trust Him in everything. Amen.

Haven’t Seen It Yet by Danny Gokey

Blessing I Can’t See by Building 429

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“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

Galatians 6:9

“For nothing will be impossible with God.”

Luke 1:37

(This photo was taken in October of 2018 at a lake in Plymouth, Minnesota)

The Way

March 21, 2020 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

The way to get through times of difficulty and struggle is found with Jesus Christ. The current days show clearly that what the sin of the world values is finite and can vanish instantly without warning…leaving us lost and our minds wandering with questions about our choices in life. It is never too late to turn towards Jesus Christ your Savior and tell Him you believe in Him…confess your sins and let the Holy Spirit be your guide. If you are searching for the way to get through difficult times, start there and see what God has in store for you. Amen.

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“Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

John 14:6

(This photo was takne in June of 2016 at a lake near Plymouth, Minnesota)

Trust

March 16, 2020 / mcalcagno / 2 Comments

Even when I can’t see, I trust you to guide and lead me. I don’t have all the answers but I know you love us and you are working for good things. Our sins in this world blind us to your goodness. Forgive us, comfort us and help us remain in your love every day. Thank you for sending your Son to save us and reconcile us to you. In His name we pray…Amen.

Blessing I Can’t See by Building 429

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“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who^[a] have been called according to his purpose.”

Romans 8:28

(This photo was taken in June of 2015 while traveling from South Dakota to Minnesota)

Pray With Confidence

March 14, 2020 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

Our prayers are how we communicate with God. He knows whether or not we truly believe what we are saying or asking for…that’s the biggest difference between talking with God and talking with people. People may or may not know the truth about what we say…God knows, He knows everything, there is no use in trying to ‘sell’ Him on your wants, desires or ideas, it is fruitless to try and hide your fears…when we turn towards God in prayer we should be prepared to be honest, open and vulnerable and we can be assured that God is working for good things for all of us. Pray with confidence to God and be open to His ways rather than your ways. Amen.

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“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! ⁵Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. ⁶Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 4:4-7

(This photo was taken in August of 2016 at Sapphire Point near Dillon, Colorado)

Rest For Your Soul

March 10, 2020 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

Trust…confidence…belief…assurance…faith. God is greater than any virus or economic issue. We can put our trust in God…this does not mean we sit on our hands and do nothing waiting for God. We need to continue to do good things…we need to pray, to help those who are in need, we need to be kind, humble, patient and shine the Light of Christ through our thoughts, words and our actions. Spend time living the way Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord taught us to live and you will find rest for your soul. Amen.

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“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. ²⁹Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Matthew 11:28-30

(This photo was taken in August of 2012 while hiking along the North Shore of Lake Superior)

The Truth

March 2, 2020 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

The word ‘truth’ appears over 200 times in the bible. Jesus often taught using the phrase ‘I tell you the truth’ or ‘Truly I say to you.’ On our faith journey we have to be willing to be honest with God, ourselves and with others regarding what we believe and what we say. When we are ready to be truthful about who we are and who God is we are ready to walk in the light to the best of our ability in a fallen world. It won’t be easy but we have been assured it will be worth it. Amen.

“So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, ³²and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

John 8:31-32

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“If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. ⁹If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

1 John 1:8-9

(This photo was taken in July of 2018 on Lake Superior near the Apostle Islands)

We Are Not Alone

February 13, 2020 / mcalcagno / 3 Comments

Whatever the struggle…whatever the battle is in your life…physical, mental, emotional or spiritual…you are not alone in your fight. God is with you…He tells us over and over again in the bible…Joshua 1:9, Isaiah 41:10, Deuteronomy 31:6, Matthew 28:20 and several more times. Trust in the Lord, He has never broken a promise and His promise is to be with you for every day and for every situation…it is up to us to look, listen and to come near to Him. Amen.

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“…because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”

Hebrews 13:5

(This photo was taken in June of 2018 at a lake near Plymouth, Minnesota)

Confidence

January 21, 2020 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

Belief…trust…conviction…reliance…dependence…faith. Don’t wait to seek the Lord as the last resort…if you are curious about faith, pick up a bible and read about God and His Son and the Holy Spirit…evil and darkness of the world has many ways to distract us and keep us away from our faith. We can turn towards Jesus Christ with confidence…He has shown us how much He loves us and He is right here with us every step of the way. Amen.

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“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,
    whose confidence is in him.
⁸They will be like a tree planted by the water
    that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
    its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
    and never fails to bear fruit.”